Modern Slavery Act 2015: UK organisational and supply chain risk management, due diligence and section 54 transparency reporting—practical guidance for lawyers

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Practice notes

What is modern slavery?

Modern slavery describes slavery, human trafficking and exploitation. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA 2015), drawing on article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), identifies four forms:

Slavery — exercising powers of ownership over an individual.
Servitude — imposing an obligation to provide services through coercion.
Forced or compulsory labour — demanding work or services under the menace of a penalty where the person has not volunteered.
Human trafficking — arranging or facilitating another person’s travel with the intention of exploiting them.

All businesses are urged to take sustained, concerted steps to ensure they do not benefit, directly or indirectly, from modern slavery. Beyond its ethical and moral significance, MSA 2015 aims to move issues of modern slavery and human trafficking higher up the corporate agenda. Under section 54, large commercial organisations with a total turnover of £36m or more must produce and publish a transparency statement setting out the actions taken to ensure there is no modern slavery or human trafficking...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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